


A Shattered Mind Under a Shattered Moon

by StanTheManWithTheBigRedPlan



Category: RWBY
Genre: Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Earth Meets Remnant AU, F/F, F/M, Guardians of Ga'Hoole references, Hallucinations, Mentally unstable character, Post Series, Secret Pollination, WWII alternate history, no one else dies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-23
Updated: 2017-12-05
Packaged: 2018-11-17 22:10:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11277777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StanTheManWithTheBigRedPlan/pseuds/StanTheManWithTheBigRedPlan
Summary: John Bauer was selected to be one of the first Earth students to attend Beacon Academy in the aftermath of the Salem War. There he has to deal with a ex-sort-of-girlfriend, two kids from Remnant, and hiding the fact that he is texting with an unknown entity claiming to be the voice in his head (who he is also madly in love with). So yeah, new world, same craziness.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> WARNING: Some bits need an Enigma emulator to translate!

Chapter 1: Arrival  
If any middle class civilian needed to get out of Connecticut, they went to Bradley International. You would go to Tweed if you owned your own jet and Sikorsky if you were a test pilot. Normal people like me, we go through Bradley. My parents only brought me as far as security, as with every flight in the world of modern terror. Plus, with the flight that I was joining, the security was needed.  
I was hurried into a separate VIP line with other teenagers going on this flight. Each coming from other areas of the state, each carrying large bags containing whatever they thought necessary to bring. I placed my large red suitcase into the conveyor belt for our flight and walked forward for the carry on check. I approached the table guarded by a very bored looking TSA agent and began the complex task of emptying my bag. The 5.11 Tactical Sling Bag, bought with some of the scholarship money given by his choice of school, was attached by two interlocking straps to make sure the bag wouldn’t come off. I unlocked the weight strap and slid the bag across my chest. The main compartment is opened and I pull out my laptop a notebook and three novels the read. I place them in their trays and I place with them my Android, my wallet, my iPod, and an ornate silver pocket watch.  
I walked into the chamber which sealed me in before blasting me with air to check for any weapons. After I cleared, I was handed back my carry on equipment. I opened my watch as I walked away checking the time. 6:30 in the morning. Two hours until show time.  
I walked out into the main concourse leading to the terminals to grab some breakfast at the local pastry shop. Seven dollars later, I walked towards the section labeled as Gates 1-19 with a bag containing two cheese danishes and a bottle of milk. For this special occasion we were selected to leave from Gate one at 9:00 and arrive at our destination by lunch time.  
As I turned into the hall that contained the gates, I walked out onto the moving floor that reached to about half way through. I turned to see various children and some of his future classmates jokingly moving at the same rate on the returning side not moving and pissing off some people who just wanted to get to baggage claim. After about two minutes of travel, I walked towards the seating area where at least half of the seats were full of 18 year olds like me waiting for the flight to the school.  
I sat down opened my back and pulled out a copy of The Bourne Identity, and began to read. I sat there for about another ten minutes, eating my breakfast and reading, before I heard a familiar hissing and clicking behind me. I turned my head to see none other than Nicole Ludiccelli. The whore who betrayed my trust. She was coming with us? Who in Glaux’s great name did she manage that. I averted my gaze back towards my book clenching my left hand in internal anger. She was the only one to attack us and go unpunished.  
I felt a hard press against the left side of my head causing me to lean right. In my ear now was a soft heartbeat to calm me from my anger. _She was no threat to the Tree. Her punishment was only light._ I heard next to me from the being whose heart I was listening to.  
I casually looked up from my book to look out the window only to find that our ride hadn’t arrived yet. Our benefactors seemed to want to make a show.  
I finished my danishes and threw away the bag they came in only to find where I was sitting currently occupied by Nicole. I went over and grabbed my bag moving it over so I could take its seat.  
“What did you need some privacy so you could masturbate to your waifu?” I commented in disgust as I saw her usual pictures of anime boys on her phone.  
“One, if it’s a man, its husbando. Two, no he isn’t. And three, stop that, I hate it when you do that.” She responded.  
“Well I hate it when you return yourself to my presence.” I retort. She sneered and returned to her regularly scheduled anime fan girl-ing.  
I spent the rest of the time taking notes and analyzing the people in the waiting area. I set my phone’s Enigma emulator to QDG and took the following notes: Fifty students, fifty-fifty gender ratio, races mixed, most larger than me. By the time I was finished, it was set to RGO and I had a long line of digital tape to save elsewhere. I knew I needed to keep notes on other people where we were going.  
The large battleship like craft with its flapping wings hovered slowly to the ground causing all the other students to rise up and gasp. The boarding bridge swung out of the building and met with the main doors on the craft. We all began to line up at the reception desk to hand in our tickets and board to our destination.  
I got aboard the craft and headed towards the middle of the many personal lounge chair style seats like you would find in the first class section of your average jumbo jet. They were large, comfortable and had a decent size vid screen to watch the in-flight movie on.  
As the last of the students settled in and buckled our seat belts, the TVs in front of us flickered to life. This should be interesting. I heard as a soft form pressed up against me.  
“Hello, my name is Ruby Rose, the headmistress of Beacon Academy, the school in which you are the first Earth humans to attend in its long and storied history.” A woman in her mid to late twenties maybe early thirties appeared on the screen. Her short black and red hair and silver eyes gave her a very young look. “I would like to congratulate all off you. You have shown everything from high intelligence, physical ability, and will to do what’s right. And that is why you are coming here to become Earth’s first Huntsmen and Huntresses.”  
I sent you a message. The voice explained as she drew back and the TV kept talking. “Earth humans may not have the same Aura or abilities as us on Remnant, but your technology and will to do good has set you all apart.”  
My phone buzzed and I checked the text message I got. The number was blocked, but I knew who it could be coming from.  
**GFH**  
 **JLQG KEVJ SOEC PKPR NITH QLII ZKQD EPVY DQIX DAY**  
 **JUNM TTCT MEGY YU**  
“You have chosen to craft weapons in designs that you want and see practical to you and they will be ready for you when you arrive.” The Headmistress continued as I opened up my encoder and began the decryption process. “You will have one day to train yourselves in their use and then you will face initiation.”  
The craft lifted off of the ground and turned away from the airport. I looked out my window to see the C-130 Hercules of the 118th Airlift of the Connecticut National Guard take off to guide us to our destination. “I will greet you all in person when you arrive. I look forward to teaching you all this year and three years to come.”  
As the screen flickered off and the news began to play, I pulled out my head phones and set my Spotify to play my patented Soundtrack to the Nuclear Holocaust playlist. As Frank Sinatra began singing, “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” I pulled my book from my pack and began to read again, but deep inside, I was jumping for joy that she was going to be there. They were going to be on the same team he hoped and they would start their courtship at initiation. I opened my text app, not bothering to encode the message and typed out.  
Can’t wait to see you there.  
\- With love, John Bauer


	2. Partners

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know what you're thinking. Hasn't this and the next few chapters been already posted on Fanfiction.net? Yes. I sometimes forget I have an AO3 account so I'm sorry for not posting them.

Chapter 2: Partners

            After three hours on the flight, only wasting half of my playlist, the aircraft shuddered to a stop at the helipad a few meters from the main courtyard of the school. Placed between the helipad and the school was a small soundstage and about three hundred chairs. Behind the chairs stood a crowd of reporters taking pictures of the grouping. We seemed to be the last to arrive as most of the seats were already full.

            I stood up, straightened out my beige collared shirt. It looked as if someone from a WWII desert unit would wear with a collar and epaulettes on the shoulders. I placed my headphones around my neck and placed my phone back into my pocket.

            I walked out with the rest of the passengers, waving to the photographs to document this momentous occasion. I took seat near the back and looked up on the stage, on the stage was the headmistress herself with the assembled teachers of various ages and races.

            “Welcome to Remnant, Vale, and Beacon children of Earth!” The woman spoke into the microphone to greet the new students. “In four years, I expect to you all here to graduate to become Earth’s first Huntsmen and Huntresses. On your shoulders is the future of both our worlds. So no pressure.” She laughed nervously. She looked to her left and saw a cat eared woman and nodded to her. “I would like to introduce you to outreach specialist and fellow Profess, my sister in law, Blake Xiao Long.”

            The assembled crowd applauded the awkward speech as the taller black haired woman took to the podium. “My name is Blake Xiao Long, and I must tell you that once you enter these grounds you will be treated the same as your Remnan comrades. You will be pushed to your limits and some of you to your breaking points. My job is to help you in any way I can. Ruby will help you in weapons and class scheduling, I deal with handling life here.” She paused for a second. “I will confide in you something, when I first came here at the age of 17, 25 years ago, I hid in the corner hiding from everyone. My team which included Professor Rose here, her sister who would later become my wife and your future combat instructor, and Professor Schnee your Dust teacher, showed me what I could do and how to come out of my shell and trust again.” She paused again. “To cut a long story short, never hide from or hate your team, because you will never know what they can do for you that we can’t.”

            As she walked off teary eyed into the arms of a blonde woman with a robotic arm, another woman with bright white hair walked onto the stage and began to speak. “My name is Weiss Schnee and I would like to announce that your weapon designs have been approved and are located in the locker rooms for pick up and testing. I wish you all good luck and not to blow any limbs off on your first day. Along the walk to the school you will meet a Remnan first year who will guide you through this school and help you adjust.”

            Everyone got up from their seats and began walking towards the campus. Along the path were their fellow first years from Remnant each holding up a sign. The sign showed a name of another student to follow them. I walked a few dozen yards before I saw a young woman holding a sign that said John Bauer. She was of dark skin and maroon hair, her red eyes stared intently at me and motioned me over.

            “Hello,” she stuck her hand out to me, “my name is Winry Maroon, you must be John.” Her voice was pitched somewhere between high and low giving her a quiet, mature tone in her voice. She wore a red and black sleeveless top that was more of a vest than a blouse, her red hair shaved on the left side and combed long on the right with two small braids coming down the sides. She had a green ghillie cloak wrapped around her body, but barely hitting her black leggings, giving glaring contrast to the rest of her. On her forehead rested a pair of brass aviator goggles which seemed to droop a bit.

            “Bauer, John Bauer.” I took her hand and shook it firmly.

            “Okay my job today is to help you get acquainted with the campus and your weapon.” She explained turning around. “If you could follow me to your locker.” She walked quickly forcing me to jog in an attempt to keep up with her. All the student who found their guides went to the front door of the massive building causing a bit of congestion. I felt my wrist being grabbed by Winry causing me to look up to see her mouth get ready. Before I could ask what she was going on about, I received the sensation of being punched in the gut by a fifty-pound weight and suddenly I was next to Winry on the complete other side of the hallway where there were fewer kids.

            “Short range teleportation.” She explained. “Comes in handy sometimes.” I felt like I was going to vomit from the shift in position. “Don’t worry you get used after 2 or 3 times through the rift.”

            She continued walking past a dining hall and a large gymnasium eventually arriving at a normal locker room. “Okay you got locker number 23.” She stated reading from a card she had pulled from a breast pocket. She then handed it to me. “I can’t tell you the password out loud can I?”

            I walked across the rather large room until I stood before locker 23. I input the password written on the card causing the door to open. Inside sat a pair of dull iron gauntlets with sharpened claws where the fingers were. Above them was a shoulder holster containing a FN Five-seveN pistol on the left side and three extra magazines on the right. Attached to the door was a letter written in Enigma.

            _XDM_

_PDSJJCDLNFYFDYZNDCPQXLDXSIWUCZRWTFMEFSWJKLRBFWZCAMLQOV_

            I placed the note in my pocket to decrypt later. I grabbed the holster and slung it around my shoulders and then reached for the gauntlets. The inner side was covered in two tubes, one glowing blue and the other glowing red. I inserted my left hand in the left gauntlet and secured it with the leather straps. On the inner forearm were three buttons, one blue on the left, another red on the right, and a white button in the middle with a red S on it.

            I strapped the identical gauntlet onto my right hand and turned around. “How do they feel?” Winry asked giving a slight smile at the sight. Cradled in her arms was what appeared to be a PU Mosin.

            “A bit heavy.” I explained. _You know we have classes all about using these back home._ I heard.

            “I heard gauntlet users get used to it after a while.” She explained. “For now, follow me to the practice range.” She turned around and walked out into a padded sparring area. She picked out a corner in the room, dropped her rifle onto the ground, and beckoned me over.

            “Sparring?” I asked.

            “Show me what you got.” She said raising her hands and shifting into a horse stance her hands moving to that of a Wing Chun form.

            “I can’t hit a girl!” I exclaimed. She responded by punching me in the gut. “Oh, come on!” I ignored the fact that I still had my gauntlets on and took a boxing stance. I ducked down and threw an uppercut between her arms aimed at her jaw. I knew her Aura would absorb the blow so I didn’t hold back. She responded by raising a knee into my temple causing me to raise my other arm to defend the side of my skull. The force of the strike caused me to tip over as I finished punching. I grabbed her thigh on the way down, bringing her down beside me. I swung my elbow around to try for a face strike causing her to swing up her arms to defend her face. My arm bounced off her fore arms causing her to grab it and use it to twist me around so that I was pinned to the ground with my arm behind my back and her straddling me.

            “At least take me to dinner first.” I gasped in the compromising position. She leaned in close behind me pressing herself against my back. _Don’t you dare!_

            “I just might.” Using her flirting as a distraction, I swung my head up causing the back of my head to hit her on the nose. She released my arm allowing me to push up with my lower body to knock her off of me.

            “Fuck!” She screamed gripping her face as she got up.

            “Don’t you have Aura?” I asked.

            “It’s just for injuries. Not pain.” She shouted before charging at me, throwing punches rapidly as I got my arms back up to block. As she started to punch my lower abdomen, I reached up wrapping my hands around her shoulders and forced her face into my knee. She responded by using the opening I gave her to strike where no person should ever strike.

            I toppled to the ground with my hands between my legs. My groin was burning in pain, but to the surprise of everyone I was both whimpering and laughing at the same time. _That’s what you get for flirting with a woman who isn’t me._

“You okay?” Winry asked helping me off the floor.

            “Yeah.” I said between fits of laughter. “I just need a rest.”

            “Here, let’s get you to firearms training.” She said walking out a different door. I followed her into a very large room with various firing ranges. Each range was filled with two types of targets. Humanoid and Grimm. She set me up at a station and set up three human, three faunus, and four Grimm targets on range. “Let me see what you can do.”

            Ignoring the pain in my arms and chest, I drew the pistol from its holster and presented the left side of my body to the targets. I placed the gun in my right hand and brought it up to my left eye causing the weapon to take on a rather angled position. I placed my left hand over the right and pressed my thumbs together on the frame.

            Two shots into the head of the first human target, my grip controlling the weapon enough to get them in the same hole. Another four shots took out the other two human targets. I repeated the same process with the faunus targets.

            I pushed the weapon forward until my trigger arm was straight with the same angling of the sights. Two shots into the eyes of each Grimm until the slide locked back signifying that I had shot the gun dry.

            I placed the weapon on the table and stepped away. She pressed the buttons on the frame of the booth and brought the paper forward. She nodded favorably at the shots. To push the point home, I pressed the blue button on my right gauntlet causing an ice dust blade to extend from the underside of my wrist. I sliced three of the of the targets in half. The blade soon shattered and I pressed the red button on the left one causing fire to shoot out of the tips of the fingers burning the others.

            “You did well, you may be able to beat up a first day combat school student with time.” The sniper taunted. “Anyway where did you learn to fight and shoot like that?”

            “Would you believe me if I said a mixture of Art School and video games?” I explained releasing the slide catch on my pistol and placing it back in my holster. I walked out to the locker room this time with Winry following me.

            I opened my locker and placed my gauntlets and pistol back into the compartment. I closed the door then turned around to see Winry looking a bit nervous. “John, Earthers can have an Aura, but not a semblance. Do you want an Aura?” She asked shyly. _What does that entail, John?_

“I heard what initiation entails, so I’m guessing that’s not a question more like an order?” I explained. “But, I haven’t eaten since this morning on Earth, so I would like to at least get some lunch first.” 

            “Oh right, yeah.” She said softly. She turned around and led me away from the locker room back into the main hall. It was less packed this time because the pairs had either gone into training or went to eat lunch. I opened the double doors of the dining hall and let her enter first. The large room was just as white as the rest of the building with each wall covered by floor to ceiling windows.

            I walked to the other side of the hall where a large buffet had been setup. I grabbed a plate and went searching for something to eat. I found a nice assortment of chicken tenders and French fries or whatever they were called on Remnant, a couple of cut up strawberries, and a glass of milk.

            I choose a random table nearest one of the windows and sat down with my food, across from me was a cat faunus with red hair and a cargo vest. He seemed to be speaking French into a cell. It was weird because most Remnans used scrolls and spoke the Remnant version of English.  

            He finished and pressed the hang up button. “Merde.” He whispered. “They already think I’m being beaten up!”

            “Excuse me,” I ask, “Are you speaking French?”

            “Oh yeah,” He said, “that confuses a lot of people. I am a faunus, but I was born in France. By the way, Michael Rust.” He extended his hand.

            “John Bauer,” I said shaking his hand.

            “An American?”

            “Yeah.” I answered. “Did you come with the Earthers, or are you a guide?”

            “Guide, they didn’t want me to come with the Earthers in case it caused any confusion. We faunus are still rare on Earth.” He explained. After that Winry sat down next to me with her lunch, just a simple salad.

            I dipped the first tender in a little dish of ketchup as Winry and Michael got into a conversation about what they were going to do with their partners next. We both were wondering where Michael partner was until I looked up and saw Nicole sitting down next to Michael.

            “I swear to God, John, if you say one thing insulting right now, I will gut you.” She growled taking one look at me.

            “I’d like to see you try.” I responded with a smirk.

            “You two know each other?” Winry asked.

            “Who’s she, the next girl you will try to convince to date you with an owl?” Nicole taunted.

            “Well I see it takes a pussy to control another pussy.” I insulted. She began to reach across the table in an attempt to grab my shirt. I responded by grabbing my knife and then grabbing her wrist. I slammed her hand down and stabbed the knife in the table area between her thumb and index finger. I then stood up, grabbed my lunch, and left the room.

            I slid down a wall just outside the cafeteria and began to eat my lunch again, this time without the luxury of having a knife to cut up my food. _You did the right thing._

            “Thank you.” I whispered back. I continued to eat while I began to hear some footsteps approaching me.

            “What the hell was that for?” Winry shouted at me.

            “It’s a long story involving a camel, a walnut, and three pairs of chopsticks.” I sarcastically mentioned before continuing to eat.

            “I’m not going to be partnered with an asshole!” She exclaimed.

            “I was telling the truth about the walnut part!” She slapped me in the face with that one.

            “How about you try and survive initiation without an Aura! I’m coming to save your ass when the Grimm are tearing you apart limb from limb!” She screamed before storming off. My phone soon buzzed with the arrival of another message.

            _HFW_

_AMGKJWCAYNJOYMQZZPUVPEKLYHTVSUQ_

_ZHEP_

_LOGXXXWWRJ_

            I ran the message through my decoder and sighed at the translation. I then began to swear at Nicole for coming back into my life to continue to hurt me.

 


	3. The First Night

Chapter 3: The First Night

            Even though it was one in the afternoon and I had just recently eaten, the day’s events had really tired me out. I found my way into the ballroom which was going to be the sleeping area for the night until all the of the teams had been selected.

            I rolled out a simple mattress pad made from memory foam used when I went out camping when I was younger, and placed my sleeping bag on top of it. I lay down not caring about getting into my pajamas or zipping up the bag and closed my eyes.

            I opened my eyes after a felt a familiar pressure on my chest. My vision was filled with blinding white feathers, and my ears filled with a heartbeat. I leaned up and pressed my lips into the mass of down, causing the form above me to start producing a purring noise.

            “I was wondering when you going to contact me directly.” She spoke getting off of me and shifting into a standing position.

            “I’m sorry,” I began to explain, “jumping worlds caused the connection to break for a bit.”

            “Well you had me worried for a bit.” She screeched, cuffing me upside the head with her wing. “I have no idea if they also control this world, I need more data on it.”

            “These places have been talking for eighty years. Of course they’re here.”

            She walked over to a nearby table and corkboard filled with drawings and notes. Each detailing a various historical event and how they all tie together. “It’s just,” she sighed standing at the table and looking the information over, “you can’t fly solo on this anymore. You need a Chaw.”

            “And Beacon is going to give me one.” I explained getting up out of the nest. “You just need to let me be around whatever females they decide to stick me with. I promise you, I won’t make the same mistake again that I made with Nicole.”

            “You better, or I’ll break out the battle claws.” She hissed turning her head around to face me.

            “So what’s the strategy?” I asked looking through the parchments laid on the table.

            “I need you to gather as much information on Remnant history, wars, terrorism, conspiracies, anything, and encode them for me.”

            I made mental notes for me to write down on my phone later. “Oh and one more thing.” I turned around to see her fully. To normal humans she would have been nothing more than a giant talking barn owl, but to me, she is my wife. She drifted forward and wrapped her wings around me and pressed her beak against my lips. “Stay safe.”

            “I will.” I pulled myself out of the vision and got up from my makeshift bed. I looked around to see if anyone else was in the room and saw that an Asian looking girl with a French accent was standing near the entrance.

            “Why hello, I was just here to see if anyone was in here.” She explained calmly almost nervously. “They’re having a barbeque outside, Prof. Schnee has some of her cooks preparing dinner.”

            “Thanks,” I replied looking at my phone realizing it was now 6:30, “what’s your name?

            “Adrianna Li.” She replied awkwardly blushing at my response.

            “Nice to meet you.” I responded getting up and walking towards the door. She led me through the halls towards the main front door leading from the main buildings to the airport that connected the school to the main land. All along the main walkway were various buffet stands with generic barbeque food laid out for everyone.

            I walked over to one of the tables which had very few people around and grabbed a paper plate. I placed three hotdogs on the plate and sought a place to sit. I looked around and saw a little sign that said, ALL EARTH STUDENTS MUST SIT WITH THEIR REMNANT COUNTERPARTS, I sighed and went to find Winry.

            I saw her sitting next a tree all alone with her rifle disassembled. As I approached I noticed she was blindfolded hold up the pieces of the bolt and firing pin trying to assemble them. I leaned on the tree and checked my phone for the time. I began slowly eating my hotdog watching her try to reassemble the barrel and trigger mechanism.

            She eventually slid the receiver back into the weapon and placed it on the ground in front of her. I sat down next to her silently as I finished my first hotdog and took a drink from the water bag in my backpack.

            “Look I’m sorry for what happened earlier in the mess hall.” I explained sliding down to the base of the tree.

            “You can’t really apologize for almost stabbing someone!” She retorted.

            “Me and her, we have some unresolved issues. Sometimes, me more than her. But you get the idea.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. I just continued eating my hotdog. “Look I’m not looking for any form of forgiveness, but since we might be stuck together for four years, we can’t be constantly trying to shoot each other.”

            “Well, snipers do need spotters.” She outstretched her hand and I took it in a sign of alliance.

            We were soon joined by Adrianna, Nicole, Michael, and a deer faunus girl. “You were right Adri, he is attractive.” The deer faunus whispered looking Michael up and down.

            “Make any funny movements and I’ll snap those antlers off you head, got it?” Adrianna growled cuddling up to Michael. I was a bit shocked looking at this.

            “Wait, you two are dating?” I asked curiously to the French kids.

            “We met in middle school, he was using his Aura to be a superhero and he unlocked mine to join him.” She explained. “When Earthers got the ability to go to an academy, we both applied. Oh, I forgot, this is Jennifer, she’s from here in Vale.”

            We all said our greetings and then just sat and ate our food in silence. I then pulled out m phone and pulled up a game to pass the time until something happened. Winry was the first to speak up. “So, you are all telling me that, I’m paired with a with a psychopath, I know two superheroes, and we all want to be huntsmen?”

            “Yep.” I agreed.

            “Oui.” Michael and Adrianna joined.

            “Totally.” Jennifer said laying back on the ground.

            “Well, we’re all fucked.” Winry facepalmed and the leaned back on the tree.

            “Eh, if I’m going out I’m gonna take Nicole with me.” I jokingly threatened.

            “Why me?” She growled. I responded by giving her the finger and then burst out into laughter. “You wanna fight?”

 

            Dressed in my stripped pajama pants and yellow tee shirt, I slid into my sleeping bag. I pulled out a pair of headphones and placed them on and began playing some music through them. I began recording my initial thoughts on the people I had met, encrypted them, and then sent them over to my beloved. I then pulled out my copy of _The Bourne Identity_ and continued reading. I got about half way through one of the very long chapters when I noticed a group of people crowded around a small TV set up in the corner. I turned off my music and got up from my resting place.

            Attached to the TV was an old Game Cube playing _Super Smash Bros. Melee_. I was never very good at games like this, but I always found them fun to watch. Four students: a female monkey faunus, a pale guy wearing an ushanka in this weather and inside, a male rabbit faunus, and Adrianna sitting there holding wireless controllers beating the ever-loving shit out of each other.

            Adrianna had managed to keep three lives while the other three had only one. Michael appeared next to me and explained, “I wish I could say that it was me who taught her all of those moves, but she was actually training me to play this game.” I smirked at the statement.

            “Hey, I can’t play this game to save my life.” I joked.

            Winry just appeared behind me and placed her hands on my shoulders. “And if I can say anything about it, nothing will.” I felt a hard tug and then I was suddenly in a broom closet.

            “My psychological well-being and other various factors prevent me from making any more snarky comments about the situations you put me in.”

            “And if you care about your physical well-being, you’ll shut up.” She placed her hands around my neck, moving her main fingers to the back and her thumbs in the small indent in front of my ears. Persephone tried to grab me and pull me away.

            “Your personality and physical exams recommend the Invocation of the Guardian as the one to activate your Aura.” She explained. She began the standard chant that I had heard of many times during my research before coming to Beacon.

            By the time she finished, she was clearly tired out. I placed an arm under hers and helped her stay up. She somehow had enough strength and aura to teleport us both back into the hall. I led her to where her sleeping bag was laid out and helped her to lay down. I went back to my sleeping bag and laid out inside of it. I checked my phone for the time, it was nine thirty. I knew I could stay up later, but we were needed at the cliffs by ten tomorrow morning. I stretched out and closed my eyes for the next day.


	4. Initiation

Chapter 4: Initiation

            My back hurt. I pulled myself up from the hard floor, my pad doing jack shit to protect me from the ground. Five years in the Boy Scouts and I still haven’t learned to sleep on hard surfaces. I checked my phone to find a text from my mother reminding me to take my medicine. Though me and Persephone disagree highly with her insistence that I take medicine for my… issues, I hate it when she starts threatening me and Persephone’s safety if I didn’t.

            I pulled two CVS bottles from my bag. One labelled Fluoxetine HCl 20mg, the other Guanfacine 4mg. These poisons were the current agreement made between my Psychiatric APRN and my mother without my permission to help alleviate the symptoms of my self-awareness, intelligence, and whatever Hoolian DNA that currently flows through my blood. Swallowing both with a swig from my back pack, I got up and grabbed my clothes for the day. 

            The initiation was going to be in a forest, so I went with a pair of brown cargo pants, another version of my collared shirt, and a baseball cap from the now defunct New Haven Ravens Double-A minor league team tucked into the epaulettes of my shirt as I didn’t need to wear it indoors. I donned the holster I was given and mounted my bag over it. I went to the locker rooms to brush my teeth and use the bathroom before going out for breakfast.

            My bowl was filled with regular Cheerios sided with a glass of whole milk. I sat and began eating being interrupted twice asking why I didn’t put my milk in my cereal. I explained how I hate soggy food and sent them on their way. The dining area was packed to the brim with new students and returning students. I slowly shifted my head around to see if I could pick up any stray conversations about today.

            About two feet behind me were a pair of students, one an upperclassman, the other an initiate. “Okay bro,” the older female addressed her sibling, “Assistant Headmaster Pine always uses the same setup every year. The pairs who pick up two of the same artifact are grouped into teams. Got it?”

            “Right.” The brother responded as Winry took a seat across from me with a plate of pancakes, sausage, and ham.

            “How good are you at judging distance through binoculars?” She asked suddenly.

            “Why?” I responded taking a spoon full of my cereal.

            “Maybe you’re not as useless to me and any team we’re grouped with after all, so can you?” She gave me a weird look.

            “I do own a pair, which I brought with me, but my regular distance judging is terrible.” I explained pulling out a tattered old leather case from my waist, laying it gently on the table. “My great-great uncle was a navigator for the Royal Italian Navy during the War, these were his.”

            “And I needed to know that why?” She mocked.

            “You’re right.” I said realizing how ridiculous it sounded. I checked my watch for the time and realized that we only had fifteen minutes until we needed to be at the cliffs. I got up from the table, threw what little food I still had away and walked back to the dance hall.

Reaching my suitcase, I pulled out a replica MKVII gas cape and attached it around my neck leaving the front unbuttoned. Pushing the flaps back across my shoulders, I marched into the locker room and found the one I had chosen. Punching in the combination, I opened the door and retrieved my gear.

Pressing the ice blade button on the gauntlets causing both blades to shoot out of their sheathes under my arms. Using my knuckles to press the safety, I caused the blades to retract. I turned around suddenly and came face to face with a brunette wearing full Farina Armor and a fancy dress beneath it standing a full foot shorter than me. From behind the visor I could see bright yellow and black eyes. Attached to her arms were what seemed to be primitive versions of the gauntlets I wore. This time made of a dull gold with scroll work covering the casing.

She grabbed my wrist and yanked my arm upward. “Where did you get this design?” She interrogated.

“I took it from a book I liked.” I explained as I twisted my arm around to get her hand to face up. With a yank of my own upwards, her fingers released and I was free again.

“No, you didn’t, you stole the designs from my family.” She grabbed me by the shirt this time.

“Mistress!” A young man rushed up, wearing a black Nehru jacket and loose-fitting pants, with bright purple hair. He carried a jetpack with a pair of rocket launchers mounted on top of it. “Please don’t harass your classmates!” What was unusual for the servant boy was that he had scaly skin and indents where his eyes should have been. He then turned and bowed to me.

“Excuse me for my mistress’ interruption.” He exclaimed. “She’s not good at communicating with other people.” The armored girl went to a nearby locker and pulled out a pair of helical magazines and mounted them on her gauntlets.

I began to walk away checking my phone the time when I heard the servant boy shout, “It’s Nigel!” I turned around. “My name is Nigel Mauve and this is Lady Gwendolyn Sorrel.” He pointed towards the owl girl checking her rockets. I gave a small wave as I continued towards the door.

 

If there is one thing you should know about me, it’s that I hate heat. Despite it being fucking September, no one told that to the weather. It was 65 Fahrenheit, but with my gear, it was more 72. I quickly uncapped my drinking tube and placed it in my mouth with shaking hands. I could already feel my mind slipping into anger and frustration.

I let lose some of my ice dust onto my arms to keep them cool while I placed my hat on my head. My aura was helping keep the chill from my arms to move across my body. The shaking stopped, but I was already in a point in which I could blow up at anyone.

After about a five minute walk to the cliffs, I arrived to see a bunch of students standing on metal plates in the ground. I walked over to an unclaimed plate and stood there as Headmistress Rose and a small younger man carrying a silver cane who I assumed was Assistant Headmaster Pine arrived at edge of the cliff. There was a brief pause to allow everyone to get settled and some last students to arrive.

“I’m going to keep this short,” Assistant Headmaster Pine began, “we’re throwing you off this cliff. If you don’t die on impact, meet up with your predetermined partner, and make your way to the ruins on the far side of this forest. Gather the totems and return here. Good luck.” He flipped the top of his cane open and pressed a big red button hidden underneath.

With a loud clang, the first student was launched into the air. I looked down the line and saw that Winry was sixth to be launched, while I was 22nd. She grabbed her rifle, off her shoulder and checked the magazine. By the time she closed the bolt, she was launched into the air. Teleporting a short distance, she began to fall again, leading to another teleport until she was out of sight.

I then saw Adrianna getting launched which caused her to produce a yo-yo like object and use it as a form of impromptu helicopter. Michael, who was two people away from me, was launched causing him to produce a metal staff which extended to the forest floor allowing him to pole vault into the distance. Bending my legs, I braced for launch. I counted that there was three seconds between each launch I had only nine seconds to prepare. Hoping that rubberized cotton made a good improvised glider, I grabbed each end of my cape and waited. As the frog faunus standing next to me was launched, I began to count down from three.   

All I heard was a click before I was launched into the air. I spread my arms to make sure the cloth that I held got as much air in it. I may have gotten about five extra feet in distance before the cape gave out. I willed more of my aura into my legs and tilted myself so I would hit the ground feet first. Recalling my parkour training, I bent my legs and hit the ground flat footed. I shifted to the left and placed my arm above my head and began to roll forward over my right shoulder.

Feeling my feet return to the ground, I sprung up and looked around. My shins and feet complained from the impact, my Aura only preventing them from breaking. I stumbled a bit before getting my bearings.

My blood ran cold as a growl rustled the bushes to my left. I lit my claws up and turned to face the source of the noise. A beowolf leapt out of the underbrush, claws out stretched ready for the kill. I charged forward, grabbing the monster around the waist, during my burning fingers into its hide. It screamed in pain as I used the monster’s momentum to throw it to the ground, causing its back spikes to lodge into the dirt. The monster tried to swipe its right hand at my face, I grabbed the hand, used my left ice blade to slice one of its fingers off. I grabbed the claw and holding it like a karambit, sliced its throat open.

It was dead. I had killed it. I stumbled away from the scene and tried to regain balance near a tree. It was the first non-insect being I had ever killed. _You did your duty to your Kingdom and ancestors, John._ I could hear her explain to me. _All hagsfiends and their descendants deserve to die. Prove to Glaux you aren’t one of them, prove you’re one of us._

Hearing another sound from behind me, I drew my pistol and placed another ice blade next to it in a CQC grip that I was once taught. The bush to my back seemed to morph into a human form revealing Winry holding up her hands and rifle.

“Good Glaux, woman! I could have shot you!” I yelled lowering my weapon. “How long were you hiding there?”

“Ever since you landed.” She explained walking out of the underbrush. I sheathed the knife and reengaged the safety of my gun.

“So what do we do now?” I asked trying to figure out which direction we were supposed to head in.

“Try not to get killed.” She spoke walking in one direction.

“Thanks, Captain Obvious.” I joked following her.    

 

“So where are you from?” Winry spoke cutting away at some branches with her bayonet. We had been walking in silence for about ten minutes towards the temple, not speaking to each other. I had put my headphones on and began to listen to music to pass the time and prevent any heat caused anger attacks.

I lifted one of the speakers not hearing her entirely. “Huh?”

“I said, where are you from? Your accent is definitely American.” She explained.

“Berlin, Connecticut.” I explained lighting fire to a branch that was in my way.

“Never heard of it.”

“No one ever does. Where are you from.”

“Rawer’s Sewres.” She explained. “It’s in Vacuo. It’s a tiny village on Vacuo’s main river.”

“So why Beacon and not Shade?”

“I hate my mothers.” She got tired of cutting branches and motioned for me to start pulling my weight. I set my gauntlets to fire claw mode and started spraying fire dust all around me to burn my way through.

“So, are you adopted or a Steinman child?” I asked at the mention of two mothers.

“Second Generation Steinman.” She explained. “We’re more long lasting and less prone to defects than the first gens.”

_Thunk-Thunk-Thunk-Thunk-Thunk_

Machine gun fire blasted through the forest just over our heads. Rather than risking losing parts of our aura, we dropped to the ground and began to crawl towards the source. I pulled out my binoculars and looked forward out into the field before us.

Seeing me grab my binoculars, Winry grabbed her rifle and began to aim into the field. “Okay,” I began spotting the pair of French kids from last night, “Michael and Adrianna are about ten meters to the left from the stone structure in the center.” Michael seemed to be holding some form of Chauchat rifle and blasting away at a group of beowolves. Adrianna was attempting to both rodeo and garrote a boarbatusk with what appeared to be a yoyo.

“Confirmed.” She responded. Shifting to the right, I spotted a Death Stalker rushing out of the woods to the east judging by the time and position of the sun.

“To the east, Death Stalker.” I called. Winry shifted to the right and took aim. One supersonic blast later, the stinger of the giant scorpion detached itself from the tail and slammed into the armored skull of the Grimm. The plating broke, exposing the flesh underneath. “Hit confirmed.”

“Should we join the battle?” She asked looking up from the scope.

“Yep.” I said packing my binoculars back into their case. She grabbed my arm and I was pulled directly above the stunned scorpion. I landed feet first directly above its eyes and pulled out my pistol. Disengaging the safety, I pulled the trigger firing five shots into the exposed section of flesh. I landed on its head as its brains last command, to perform a swipe of its claws at me was executed.

I was thrown a good fifty feet away and straight into a tree. I blacked out for five seconds. I saw Persephone, her feathers bathed in the moonlight. I was pulled back as a beowolf spread its jaws for the kill. It was only stopped by a thin metal cord wrapping itself around the creature’s throat and decapitating it. _Watch how easily they slaughter their own kin, John. Further proof of their inferiority._ Behind then dead creature was Adrianna dressed in a red and black plated mail jacket and red and black polka dot leggings. She offered me her hand which I excepted. After pulling me to my feet, she handed me my gun. I fixed my cape and then grabbed it.

I removed the magazine and checked the slide for damage. Seeing it in somewhat working order, I placed the magazine back in and closed the slide. Nodding to her, we rushed towards the temple taking various Grimm along our way. I was out of breath by the time we reached the others while Adrianna was perfectly fine.

I stumbled towards a podium and sat down for a slight rest. I shifted my bag around and pulled out a Cliff bar from the interior. “Don’t eat anything unless you have enough to share.” I heard from above me. Looking up I saw Jennifer perched on the pedestal holding a Rook piece in one hand and a double barreled over under shotgun in the other. Behind her was Nicole carrying three revolvers in various holsters, one across her chest, one at her right hip and one on her back.

I handed another bar to Jennifer as I got up. Winry walked calmly over to a pedestal with a black Bishop piece and throw it in my direction. I flinched slightly while attempting to grab it only for it to fly past and land on the ground. I retrieved it as the group settled down to rest. We were soon joined by Gwen, Nigel, and other students who I hadn’t met yet, and probably never really get to know.

            Then it hit, the ice dust wore off. In the hour that it took to reach the temple, the temperature had reached 72. It didn’t help the fact that the temple was in complete ruins and offered no shade. My right hand started to shake as my mind went blank. “Fuck!” I nearly shouted.

            I started running, running as fast as I could towards the forest. It had been this way ever since they began poisoning my body as well as my mind. Reaching the tree line, I slowed down to catch my breath. Ripping the ice dust tube out of my right gauntlet, I poured it all over me. My Aura reacted and began cooling me down.

            “John!” I heard someone shout behind me.

            “What!” I screamed back. I swiftly turned around to see Winry standing there with Nigel and Gwen. “Let me guess, they have the same piece.”

            “Yep.” Gwen replied filled with snark.

            “Good. Fine. Whatever. Let’s go!” I growled walking away. Pulling another Ice tube out of my bag, I slotted it into my gauntlet and pressed the activation button connecting the tube to the blade chamber.

            “Okay, here’s the plan…” Gwen began.

            “Who put you in charge?” Winry interrupted.

            “I did.” Gwen retorted.

            “Ladies, we can solve this problem back at Beacon. Can we please move?” I grabbed both of them and shoved them forward. Gwen lead us towards the large clearing leading up to the cliff. As the trees gave way to a large ravine spanned by five large stone bridges, most were in ruins except one.

            A large company of Grimm guarded the last bridge. Six beowolves, three boarbatusks, two Ursa, and one Alpha beowolf. “Nigel, John, you take the beowolves and boarbatusks, Gwen and I are going after the Ursa. Leave the Alpha for last!” Winry ordered. I nodded to Nigel as I lit up my right claws and extended my left blade while he grabbed his umbrella by the body. I charged forward, ducking under the swing of one beowolf catching it in the abdomen with my ice blade.

As the blade broke from me shifting to the side to dig my claws into another, I saw out of the corner of my eye Nigel extending his umbrella and aiming the tip towards and charging wolf. Waiting for its mouth to open, he pulled a trigger on the grip of the umbrella causing a small bullet to be launched into the mouth. In less than a second, what was once the Grimm’s head was now a spike ball of ice. I swung the one I was holding around to face him, he took aim and shot the new target as I threw it at him. Pressing the safeties of my gauntlets together, I un-holstered my pistol and fired it into the tusks of the Boarbatusks. The first snapped off and flew off in a random direction while the second snapped and shot straight into the beast’s eye. Suddenly the eye with the tusk lodged in it exploded as Winry fired her rifle into the lodged bone piece.

Nigel closed his umbrella and flipped it around so that he gripped the cloth end of the weapon. Swinging the weapon, he grabbed the arm of a beowolf with the hook of the grip and threw it into the second boarbatusk. The wolf become impaled belly first onto the tusks of the monster blocking its vision. Nigel stepped aside as it charged towards him and off the cliff.

Explosions rang out as Gwen flew through the air raining rockets from her jetpack. The rockets shredded the first Ursa and seriously wounded the second. Winry then grabbed her rifle and decapitated the injured monster with her bayonet. Screaming, she charged the next beowolf and impaled it on her blade. Swinging it around with impressive strength. She pointed the wolf and the barrel at the last regular wolf and fired a round through both killing them.

All that was left was the Alpha. Winry’s bullets were just bouncing off its armor causing her to try and charge it, bayonet drawn. Reaching it, the blade plunged into the monster’s shoulder. It didn’t even flinch, it just picked her up and threw her towards the cliff. She managed to grab onto the ledge at the last second.

_That’s quite the conundrum you have there, my love. Do you let both of those hagsfiend filth die or do you save the one without the fur?_

Thinking quickly, I rushed up behind the monster and used my smaller size to wrap my arms around its waist and avoid the back spikes. Activating my fire claws, I dug them into the fur and began burning the monster. Noting that the fire had spread across its chest, I climbed up and deployed an ice blade to shove into its neck.

Winry teleported to her rifle and held on as the monster began flailing wildly. She pulled the weapon from the beast’s flesh and teleported back to the rest of the team. With the flick of my wrist, I broke the blade from my gauntlet and flipped away from the monster.

_You forget that in the span of a thousand years, certain hagsfiends became more powerful. These are who I will fight alongside._

_And what of the Faunus?_

_My prototype._

A rocket wizzed over my head and slammed into the Alpha. It exploded in a way that knocked the monster off the edge and towards its death.

 

“Michael Rust, Adrianna Li, Jennifer Verdant, and Nicole Ludiccelli. You picked the Black Rook pieces. From now on you shall be Team MAJN [Margarine], led by Michael Rust.” Oscar spoke before the massive crowd assembled there before him. Everyone from the inductees to the seniors packed into the auditorium to welcome the new students.

Adrianna seemed pissed that she was not leader. Turns out, back in Paris, Michael was her sidekick. Being usurped like that may lead to some tensions, I noted. The left the stage and made room for us. We walked up unto the stage and formed a line. Nigel stood at attention like a soldier next to Gwen her had her arms crossed before her with a smug look on her face. Winry was barely able to stand at this point. She was tired and sore, hell I felt the same too.

“Winry Maroon, Nigel Hoarse, Jonathan Bauer, and Gwendolyn Sorrell. You picked up the Black Bishop pieces.” Gwen seemed to be insulted that she wasn’t referred to by her title. “From now on you shall be Team WNJG [Wenge]. Led by Winry Maroon.” Gwen fumed in anger leaping off the stage and stormed out of the room. Nigel, apologized and rushed after her. Oscar calmly dismissed us and called forth the next team.  


End file.
